Insta
IAF To Get First Rafale Next Month: Defence Minister, Air Chief To Receive The Aircraft In France On 20 September
Swarajya Staff
Aug 22, 2019, 12:01 PM | Updated 11:58 AM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
India is set to get first of the 36 Rafale fighter jets as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa will travel to France next month to receive the first Rafale aircraft for Indian Air Force, the government sources said on Wednesday (21 August), reports Times of India.
According to the report, during the handing over ceremony of the first Rafale jet, which is likely to be held on 20 September, top French military officials as well as senior Dassault Aviation officials will also be present.
A high-level team of the IAF is already in Paris to coordinate with the French officials on the handing over ceremony, sources said.
Earlier in September 2016, India had signed an inter-governmental pact with France for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore. The French fighter jet is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons and missiles.
As per the report, the IAF has already completed the preparations to induct the fighter aircraft in its fleet, including readying required infrastructure and training the pilots.
The strategically located Ambala air force station, which is around 220 km from the Indo-Pak border, in Haryana will host the first squadron of the Rafale jets, according to the sources.
The second squadron of the French jet will be stationed at Hasimara air base in West Bengal.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.